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Matthew Chapter
Eighteen
Jesus And The Children (18:1-14)
INTRODUCTION
1. One of the more touching and endearing scenes during the life of Jesus was when He used a little child to teach His disciples some lessons - Mt 18:1-14 2. For all who would be true disciples of Jesus, there are valuable lessons to be gleaned from this passage [The first thing we are taught is...] I. THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION (1-4)
A. WITHOUT CONVERSION, THERE IS NO SALVATION... 1. "Unless you are converted", Jesus said a. "You will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" b. Without conversion, we cannot have our sins blotted out - cf. Ac 3:19 c. And we will not enjoy "times of refreshing from the Lord" - cf. Ac 3:19 2. Note that the process of conversion is passive: "be converted" a. I.e., it is something you must allow to be done to you b. It begins when we in faith submit to "the working of God" 1) That is, in baptism - cf. Co 2:12 2) Wherein by God's mercy we experience "regeneration", "renewal" - Ti 3:5 c. It continues as we live the Christian life 1) God continues His working in us - cf. Ph 1:6; 2:12-13 2) He will do so until the coming of Christ - 1 Th 5:23-24 -- Have you, indeed are you, submitting to the working of God in your life so as to be truly converted? B. A CONVERSION INVOLVING CHILDLIKE HUMILITY... 1. This was the concern of Jesus in Mt 18:4 a. For His disciples had asked who would be greatest in the kingdom b. Jesus used a child to illustrate the sort of humility one must have 2. Paul later used Jesus as an example of humility - Ph 2:3-5 -- Those who submit to the working of God in their lives will produce this kind of humility necessary for salvation - cf. Co 3:12-13 [The next thing we learn from this passage is...] II. THE SIN OF STUMBLING BLOCKS (5-7)
A. WHO ARE THE "CHILDREN"? 1. Some think Jesus used an infant to make his point about humility, and is now discussing His adult disciples 2. But the Greek word for "child" (paidion) can refer to one as old as twelve years - cf. Mk 5:39-42 -- I understand Jesus to be discussing children old enough to believe, old enough to sin - Mt 18:6 B. THE TERRIBLENESS OF CAUSING CHILDREN TO SIN... 1. It would be better to be killed by drowning - Mt 18:6 2. "Woe to that man..." - Mt 18:7 3. Why so terrible? Because it is a sin against Christ Himself! a. Note Mt 18:5 and consider its opposite b. Paul learned this lesson on the road to Damascus c. He taught this truth to brethren in Corinth C. HOW ONE CAN PUT STUMBLING BLOCKS IN A CHILD'S WAY... 1. By doing anything to keep them from serving Christ freely 2. Directly, by persecuting, ridiculing, opposing, or dissuading them from serving the Lord 3. Indirectly, by living a life inconsistent with what we claim to be! -- Are we putting stumbling blocks before our children, even unwittingly? [The next thing we can glean from these verses is...] III. THE REALITY OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT (8-9)
A. SOME DENY PUNISHMENT AFTER DEATH, BUT NOT JESUS... 1. E.g., Seventh-Day Adventists and Members of the Watchtower Society (JWs) 2. Yet Jesus, more than any other, taught the reality of an eternal, suffering place of torment! a. The word "Gehenna" is used twelve times in Scripture, all but once by Jesus! b. Elsewhere He mentions "everlasting fire" and "everlasting punishment" - Mt 25:41,46 c. And so did His disciples - He 10:26-29; Re 21:8 3. Consider the implication of Mt 18:6 and He 10:28-29... a. What could be worse than drowning in the sea or dying without mercy? b. Acc. to those who deny punishment after death...nothing! -- Dare we "water down" what Jesus and the Bible teaches about the destiny of the wicked? B. WE SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE SIN SERIOUSLY... 1. So much so, that we remove whatever is close and dear to us if it causes us to sin! 2. Jesus is using hyperbole, of course, for what good would it be to pluck out only one eye? -- Sin is like cancer; sometimes "radical surgery" is the only solution! [Finally, we are taught in this passage about...] IV. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF GOD'S CHILDREN (10-14)
A. THEIR ANGELS ALWAYS BEHOLD GOD'S FACE... 1. What this may involve, one can only speculate a. Many think this refers to "guardian angels" - cf. Psa 91:9-12
b. We do know that angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" - He 1:14 2. Our text speaks of their presence before God - Mt 18:10 a. Which some take to refer to their readiness to carry out the Father's wishes (Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke) b. At the very least we know there is joy in their presence when sinners repent - Lk 15:10 c. Will they not be dismayed when one of God's children sin, or is made to stumble by others? -- Their close proximity to God in heaven suggest the honor God has toward those children who believe! B. THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SAVE THEM... 1. Jesus came to die for them, too! - Mt 18:11 2. Jesus illustrated His concern for them with the parable of the lost sheep - Mt 18:12-13 -- If Jesus was willing to give His life for them, dare we despise or neglect them? C. THE FATHER DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE EVEN ONE... 1. It is not His will - Mt 18:14 2. Notice: He does not want to lose "one" of these little ones! -- If both the Father and Son think so highly of these little ones, should not we? CONCLUSION
1. The words of Jesus should motivate us to take children seriously... a. For parents: how important to bring your child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord! b. For teachers: How serious and noble is your task of teaching our children! c. For all of us: We are examples and role models, whether good or bad...and God will hold us accountable for the effect we have on them! 2. And for those who would enter the kingdom... a. Heed the necessity of being converted! b. Let the example of child-like trust and humility be a guide as to how we should serve God and one another! Have you humbled yourself in obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18:21-35)
INTRODUCTION
1. "The Parables Of Jesus" we have considered so far have centered around the kingdom of heaven itself... a. How the "seed" of the kingdom would be received ("The Sower") b. Its mixed character and future consummation ("The Wheat And The Tares", "The Dragnet")
c. Its growth and development ("The Mustard Seed", "The Leaven") d. Its exceeding value ("The Hidden Treasure", "The Pearl Price")
2. The next parable we shall consider is one that describes "the character of the citizens" which are to make up the kingdom... a. It is commonly called "The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant" b. It is recorded in Mt 18:21-35 [We begin our study by noticing...] I. THE PARABLE AND ITS MESSAGE
A. THE OCCASION WHICH LED TO ITS TELLING... 1. Peter's question about forgiving a brother - Mt 18:21 a. He probably thought he was being very gracious b. For many Jewish rabbis taught that three (3) times was sufficient 2. Jesus' initial response - Mt 18:22 a. His answer is not to be taken literally b. Rather, "Jesus confronts Peter with the truth that thespirit of forgiveness really knows no boundaries."
(Believers' Study Bible) 3. To reinforce His point, Jesus proceeds to tell the parable... B. THE PARABLE ITSELF... 1. A king shows mercy to his servant by canceling his huge debt - Mt 18:23-27 a. How large amount was 10,000 talents? 1) "If the Attic talent is intended, about 6,000 denariiwere involved in just one Attic talent." (BSB)
2) "Remembering that a denarius was a day's normal wage,the poor fellow owed something like 60,000,000 denarii."
(BSB) 3) Using the rate of $50 as one day's wage, the amount would be $3,000,000,000 (3 billion dollars!) b. The mercy of the king goes beyond the actual request 1) The request was for patience to pay the debt 2) Yet the king was willing to forgive the debt entirely! 2. That servant in turn then refuses to cancel a fellow servant's petty debt - Mt 18:28-30 a. How much was a hundred denarii? 1) Remember, a "denarii" was equivalent to a day's wage 2) Using the same rate above ($50/day), the amount would be $5000 b. The unmerciful servant refuses to heed the same plea made earlier by himself 3. The final result: Upon this cruel servant the king imposes the former sentence, even adding to it! - Mt 18:31-34 a. Before, he, his family, and his possessions were only going to be sold b. But now, he is to handed over to the "torturers" C. THE LESSON OF THE PARABLE... 1. As stated by Jesus Himself - Mt 18:35 a. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother histrespasses."
b. Failure to forgive a brother will bring severe punishment! 2. "Prompted by gratitude the forgiven sinner must always yearnto forgive whoever has trespassed against him" (unknown)
3. We can also draw several subsidiary lessons: a. We are all God's debtors - Mt 18:23; cf. Ro 3:23 b. None are able to pay what is owed - Mt 18:25 c. But by Christ's atoning sacrifice, the debt is paid - Mt 18:27; cf. Mt 20:28
d. Only those who are willing to forgive others can be assured that they are indeed forgiven - Mt 18:35; cf. Mt 6:14-15 e. It should be easy to forgive others, for what we owe God is infinitely more than what others owe us - Mt 18:32,33 f. The unforgiving person is destined for everlasting punishment! - Mt 18:34,35; cf. Ro 1:31 [Perhaps the most important point we learn from this parable is that the kingdom of heaven is to consist of people who are both forgiven andforgiving, who have both received mercy and are merciful. - cf. Ja 2:13 Understanding the importance of forgiving others, how can we develop aforgiving spirit?] II. DEVELOPING A FORGIVING SPIRIT
A. FOCUS ON GOD'S FORGIVENESS OF YOU... 1. This is where the unmerciful servant went wrong 2. This is how Paul suggested we develop a forgiving spirit - Ep 4:32; Co 3:13
B. ALLOW THE LORD TO HELP US TO "FORGIVE AND FORGET"... 1. Some may protest and say "It is impossible to forget!" 2. But let's first define "forget" a. To be unable to remember (something) b. To treat with thoughtless inattention; neglect: forget one's family c. To leave behind unintentionally d. To fail to mention -- The American Heritage Dictionary 3. When I think of forgiving and forgetting, it is the last three definitions I have in mind a. Technically, we may be able to recall the offense to our minds b. But for all practical purposes, we so disregard the offense that it is "out of mind" 4. Is this possible? By the grace of God, yes! a. The example of Joseph - Gen 41:51 b. The attitude of Paul - Ph 3:13 -- Both these men had plenty of things done to them that could have made them resentful, but God helped them to "forget" those things 5. Can a person who says "I will forgive but not forget", truly have forgiven? 6. "If I say, 'Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget,' as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, thenI know nothing of Calvary love." (Amy Carmichael)
CONCLUSION
1. I believe that when we truly contemplate the love, mercy, and forgiveness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus... a. It is indeed possible to forgive and forget b. At least in the sense of removing it from the attention of our minds 2. And from "The Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant"... a. We should learn that it is essential that we do so b. For the citizens of the kingdom of heaven are to be characterized by the attitudes of mercy and forgiveness towards others "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Jesus (Mt 6:14-15)
Have we allowed the mercy of God to melt our hearts? Have we even accepted the mercy of God into our lives by obeying Jesus Christ? Allow"The Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant" to remind us that both are
possible!
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